'I’m busy … we’re all busy'

For fans of the movie “Tombstone,” you may recognize the line above. This was the response given while playing pool, after being asked to do something else. How many of you could say the same thing? Our current pace of life seems to not be able to speed up — until it does. We find ourselves running from one commitment to the next. While sitting in one meeting, our minds drift to the next. We often spend time trying to figure out how to escape or find a way to not be so busy. Let’s explore a few ways to work through this.

What is the difference from a spectator at a UT Vols football game and those on the field playing? While both are happy with a win and sad with a loss, the one in the stands is a spectator. In other words, they are simply watching the game. All of their happiness or sadness is in the hands of those on the field. We often act the same way regarding our busyness. We act as if we are a victim of something else. Being busy is not something to complain about, unless we are complaining about our decisions that created it. Busyness is created by our commitment to do things. This decision made us participants in the game.

Organization is paramount if we are to survive and thrive in this environment. This should not surprise us, because insanity will be the state of mind without it. We can get organized in many ways. It could include a shared calendar with others, filing system, or various other things available to us through technology. The focus is not on the tool, rather on how the tool is used. We can have all the tools needed to get organized and still be a mess. They must be used to have any impact.

Communication is the final area we must work to improve. It could feel like we are over-communicating, but it will smooth out the bumps found with busyness. The culmination of stress is exposed in moments when we fail to communicate. A sneak attack, from a scheduling standpoint, is sure to leave the other party grumpy. Another option for communication involves looking past today. Many families will have a meeting on Sundays to talk about the week. This has proven to be very helpful.

If we are always complaining about being busy, everyone else is tired of hearing it. They are thinking various thoughts about our “problem.” If we are going to continue to add more things to our list of stuff to do, we owe it to ourselves to figure out how to enjoy it. If we cannot figure it out, we need to stop doing so much. We were not born to live a miserable existence. If this is you, please remember, we are not spectators watching from the stands, we are on the field.

Dave Bratcher is the founder of www.davebratcher.com, speaker, teacher and trainer in the area of leadership and organizational development. He serves as president of the STAR Center. He can be contacted at dave@davebratcher.com.